Freshman year of high school. That is when I peaked.

I won honorable mention in a local writing contest and I earned a spot in our journalism class aka the school newspaper. I also earned a spot on the color guard which practiced during 5th period which meant I needed to move driver's ed - to 8th period. End of my journalism career. Looking back, that decision somehow meant that I wasn't a serious (good) writer. For Goddess sake, I chose to wear a silver sequin headband while making simple geometric shapes on a football field while twirling a flag over beginning my op-ed career (which is still beginning). Yes, my mom was pretty disappointed I chose flags over a red pen.

Almost 20 (!) years later I'm taking back my pen and finally listening to my muse*. This time she often wears pigtails and calls me "Mama."

"Writing Motherhood" is just the book this novice writer and mama needed. Lisa Garrignes begins out uber-cheesy but ends up having that perfect nurturing and supportive touch. I have to admit that both the harsh self-critic and anti-self-help book reader in me went into the book wanting to not like it. Sure some book some woman wrote targeted at mommies is going to help me write. Um...yeah, she did.

First, suspend your attitude. The fact that Garrignes calls our notebook a "Mothers Notebook" and the pages within "Mothers Pages" made me gag. But I got over it. Garrignes parallels and fuses both my desires to write and figure out this crazy thing called parenthood. This is best showcased in the chapter entitled, "Good Enough." By this point she's already gotten me buy a "Mothers Notebook" (not that its a hard task. I'm addicted to blank books.) so we're deep into this book. She recounts a moment of super-perfectionism and a "Bad Parent" moment and then brings it back to writing. "Just practice telling yourself over and over, as a mother and a writer, that good is good enough, and in time you will begin to believe it." I told ya there was some cheese. But you know what? It's just the right amount.

Instead of homework or exercises there are writing invitations. I tried the first few and was comfortable with them. They quickly turn into real assignments that due to my deadline I couldn't attempt them all. This book is really not one to read all at once and put away. It is a working book. This one needs you to work along with it and I do plan to go back and work on my "Mothers Notebook." Hey, it's in my bag, that's the first step!

I would recommend this book to someone else who is afraid of writing or afraid of sharing your writing and is a mom. The whole book is about mothers who write and while all the suggestions should be applicable to anyone, I think non-moms would get tired of the play date stories quickly. I really try not to work from an essentialist point of view, but I gotta admit, Garrignes is right. Being a mom is chock full of stories - ours & our kids' stories.

Other reviews at Mother-Talk. Get the book from Women & Children First.

Due to my inability to give someone my zip code, I have two copies of this book. Whoever emails me or comments on this post will be in a drawing for that book. Deadline is Monday, May 21, 2007. If you comment and don't want the book, I'll just keep drawing names until I get to someone who does want it. So don't let that be your excuse to lurk!

* I have to admit that I did keep a journal off and on from about junior year in high school until Ella was born. I've also kept a spotty journal for Ella since she was born. But it's 90% safe thoughts in case someone finds it. I've had that happen and it wasn't pretty. Not one itty bit. Fear of many things has kept my pen in my pocket all these years.

Labels: Books, writing